There’s something reassuring about a big bowl of steaming pasta. Originating in Italy, a country rich in family culture, its an amazingly versatile dish, and the younger members at the table rarely send it back!
A respectable food cupboard just isn’t complete without a healthy stash of this most famous of noodles.
The Italian word for ‘dough’, it’s a paste of flour and water. Durum wheat is the basic ingredient. As the hardest wheat there is, naturally high in gluten, it’s ideal for retaining shape and consistency when cooked.
Adding egg to the mix gives the more full-bodied pasta all’uovo, and throwing in spinach makes pasta verde, which also has a little extra kick.
Wholewheat pasta (or integrale) is made with wholewheat semolina. Although not the traditional Italian form, it’s becoming more common and widely available. With a slightly nutty flavour, it’s heavier in fibre.
The ‘fresh or dried?’ pasta debate has raged through the ages. But each has its own merits. The fresh variety contains eggs and extra water, so it’s more delicate, and is often best served with lighter sauces. Dried pasta is very robust, and can stand up to stronger sauces; it also has a lengthy shelf life.
Long, ribbon or shell?
Getting to know the different names and types of pasta can be a minefield. Some chefs simply spilt pasta into short and long varieties, but there’s a little more to it than that.
Although not exhaustive, the list below outlines the basic groups and the more commonly know pastas in each.
Long cut extruded: spaghetti (meaning strings) and their thinner sister, spaghettini; vermicelli; bucatini (hollow) fusilli bucati (coiled tubes); capelli d’angelo (angel’s hair).
Short cut extruded: cannelloni (stuffable tubes); fusilli (three edged spiral); penne and penne rigate (tubes with ridges); rigatoni.
Ribbon cut: fettuccine (meaning little ribbons), lasagne (used for the dish lasagne, with layers of meat and béchamel); linguine (little tongues, traditionally from southern Italy and often used with fish); pappardelle; tagliatelle.
Decorative shapes: conchiglione and conchiglies (shell shaped); farfalle (bow shaped); rotini (spirals); rotelle (wagon wheels).
Stuffed pasta: cannelloni; fagottini; ravioli; tortellini; tortelloni.
Fine pasta (used mostly in soups): farfalline; fideos.
Pasta Treats
Chestnut pasta is made with chestnut flour instead of durum wheat. From the north of Italy, where chestnuts are used in many dishes in autumn and winter, it’s a more decadent choice - for special occasions.
You may never have heard of chocolate pasta, but it’s out there! An old Tuscan recipe, the flour is mixed with cocoa powder. It’s sometimes used with game dishes and occasionally as a dessert.
The Pasta Low Down
• The biggest mistake to make with pasta is to overcook it - it quickly turns to a soggy mass. Stick with ‘al dente’ (firm to bite), which normally takes 8 – 10 minutes for dried pastas, and much less for fresh ones.
• You can never have too much water in the pot. Make sure the water is boiling as the pasta goes in, then simmer until done - you don’t need to cover it over.
• Add salt and olive oil to the water (the oil helps keep the strands apart).
• Serve fast on warm plates – it’s a dish that rapidly cools once cooked.
• No pasta should appear in public without its trusty companion - a good, extra virgin, olive oil!
• When eating long form pasta, twirling only three or four strands onto the fork at a time makes it much more manageable.
Sassy Pasta Sauces
With tomatoe or cream based sauces, garlic and olive oil – the basics in most kitchens - you can nearly always prepare a tasty pasta dish in less than 15 minutes.
To be really on top of your game, keep the ingredients for the most popular Italian pasta sauces to hand.
• Bolognese. Top of the list is the bolognese sauce, or ragù alla bolognese, a firm favourite with children. Tomato based, it’s normally made with minced pork or beef.
• Carbonara. Mostly done with tagliatelle, spaghetti or any long form of pasta, the classic recipe is made with eggs, parmigiano-reggiano and olive oil, and added to bacon and ground pepper. Cream is sometimes included.
• Arrabiata. Perfect for those who like a little kick in their pasta dish (arrabiata is Italian for angry). A tomato base, chilli is added with garlic and basil.
• Pesto. With fresh basil, garlic, parmiggiano-reggiano and pecorino cheeses, pine nuts and olive oil. This classic from Genoa is a great sauce for vegetarians. The ingredients can be pounded together in a pestle and mortar.